Scott Sandelin, who was earlier named the assistant coach of the 2004-05 U.S. World Junior Championships team, has been named to replace Dean Blais as head coach. Blais resigned from the position last week after recently leaving his job as head coach at North Dakota for the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets. The 2005 IIHF World … Read more
On June 16, Mark Mazzoleni returned to his hometown of Green Bay, Wis., when he resigned from his position as head coach of the Harvard Crimson to become head coach and general manager of the Green Bay Gamblers of the United States Hockey League. In a close-knit community such as college hockey, any event like … Read more
Day 2 of the draft saw some more interesting names come through the draft board. Following up the selection of Chris Bourque from Day 1, two more sons of ex-NHLers were selected on Day 2. One was Providence-bound Trevor Ludwig, son of long-time NHL defenseman Craig Ludwig, by the Dallas Stars. The other was … … Read more
Niagara coach Dave Burkholder has agreed to a new multi-year contract, locking him up through the 2007-08 season. Burkholder, who begins his ninth year with the program, fourth as head coach, led the Purple Eagles to a CHA tournament title and automatic NCAA bid last season. “I’m pleased that Dave will continue to lead the … Read more
Chris Bourque has always had to look up, but he’s had some good role models to look up to. Now his career is looking up, too.
Wayne Gretzky, in town as managing partner of the Phoenix Coyotes, held court with the media on Saturday, and among the things he spoke about were the state of the on-ice game itself — particularly, the dearth of scoring. But the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer didn’t seem to as alarmed by the situation as … Read more
There’s a good chance that when the New York Rangers selected Michigan goaltender Al Montoya with the sixth pick in Saturday’s NHL Entry Draft, they realized that they got more than simply a hockey player. Sure he’s a solid goaltender whose numbers have gotten better in his two seasons at Michigan. And his performance in … Read more
No one seemed too alarmed at Day 1 of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft about the departure of Dean Blais from North Dakota — not current Sioux first rounder Drew Stafford, incoming Sioux first-rounder Travis Zajac, or the general manager of the New Jersey Devils, Lou Lamoriello, who once again took a Sioux player in … Read more
If there’s anything you can say about the NHL selecting Raleigh, N.C., as the location for this year’s Entry Draft, the city has some pretty passionate fans. That was extremely obvious on day one. Beginning at 10:30 in the morning, fans were flocking into the RBC Center in its general admission sections. Around the arena … Read more
If the NHL Entry Draft were the Olympics, you might once again hear Al Michaels asking, “Do you believe in miracles?” In a shocker of a first round, a total of seven college or college-bound players were selected, punctuated by Phoenix’s fifth overall selection of Blake Wheeler, who still has another year of high school … Read more
Kris Chucko, headed to Minnesota in the fall, was one of three players taken from the British Columbia Junior League in the first 50 picks of the draft, including his Salmon Arm teammate Travis Zajac and second-round pick Ray Sawada. Chucko, the 24th overall pick by Calgary, was another player whose stock rose quickly since … Read more
When team Managing Partner Wayne Gretzky stepped to the podium to make Phoenix’s first-round selection in the 2004 NHL Draft, the crowd of mostly Carolina Hurricanes fans, draft prospects and their families, stood to salute ‘The Great One’ with a rousing, heartfelt ovation. Just moments later, the reaction changed to agape jaws when Gretzky announced … Read more
With Dean Blais leaving North Dakota for the NHL, USA Hockey also needs a new coach for the team that will defend the gold medal at the World Junior Championship in December and January. Jim Johannson, USA Hockey’s senior director of hockey operations, confirmed Friday that Blais will step down from his position as the … Read more
Friday, the University of North Dakota announced that associate head coach Dave Hakstol has been named interim head coach in the wake of Dean Blais’ departure for the NHL. Hakstol, a 1992 graduate of UND and former hockey captain, has head coaching experience with the USHL’s Sioux City franchise — where he was the league’s … Read more
In terms of college hockey’s place at this year’s National Hockey League Entry Draft, right now we’re looking at the power of three. In a year that might be one of the weakest for collegiate first-rounders, three prospects stand head and shoulders above the rest. Michigan goaltender Al Montoya — the top-rated North American goaltender … Read more
Talent floods in from across the seas, and other Friday notes from the NHL Draft in Raleigh, N.C.
Less than 24 hours after USCHO.com first reported that North Dakota head coach Dean Blais was headed to the NHL, the news is official. The Columbus Blue Jackets announced Blais as their associate head coach under newly-appointed head coach Gerard Gallant Friday, one day before this year’s NHL Entry Draft begins in Raleigh, N.C. Blais … Read more
The Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Committee concluded its annual meetings in San Francisco earlier this month, and a change to the Frozen Four start times was its most notable move. Instead of a noon and 6 p.m. (ET) start time, the committee decided to change the times to 2 and 7 p.m. The final … Read more
North Dakota’s Dean Blais, first in winning percentage among all active Division I coaches and winner of two national championships, is stepping down from his job in Grand Forks to take over as associate coach for the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets.
When the NHL’s Central Scouting Service released its buzz-creating list of prospects for the upcoming entry draft, the casual hockey fan might have been surprised to see that St. Cloud State’s Casey Borer was near the top. Borer, one of 27 players with ties to the WCHA listed in the North American skater ranking, was … Read more